Kitchen & Bath

Shower pans; toilet seats

Shower Pans

Easy Care. Tile floors demand periodic maintenance; some busy homeowners may prefer a solid-surface shower pan. Royal Stone offers 22 standard shapes in 48 colors and can produce a custom pan in about four weeks. The company says its acrylic and polyester pans — which are cast in one piece — are rugged enough to support granite shower walls. Their nonporous surface can be repaired if chipped. Standard sizes run from 34 inches by 34 inches to 48 inches by 60 inches; costs range from $563 to $1,350. Royal Stone, 888/633-4537, www.royalstoneind.com

Leakproof. Tile Redi's preformed pans are guaranteed to be leakproof and come in seven standard sizes, including models for corner and ADA-compliant showers. Made from rigid polyurethane, they're prepitched with an integrated curb and drain, and can be set on concrete or plywood subfloors. Prices start at $580. Tile Redi, 800/232-6156, www.tileredi.com

As You Like It. Fin Pan's preformed and presloped shower pans are ready to drop in and tile. In addition to offering eight standard sizes, the company can turn out a custom pan in as little as two weeks. Pan bases are made from high-density foam with cement-board sides; drains are fused in. The company says assemblies are thoroughly waterproofed and tested before shipment. Prices start at about $350 for the smallest standard size, 36 inches square. Fin Pan, 800/833-6444, www.finpan.com.

Toilet Seats

No Mess. Bemis' Easy Clean seats pop off quickly for easy toilet-bowl and rim cleaning. Sized for both round and elongated bowls, with the standard 5 1/2-inch distance between hinge centers, they come in plastic and molded wood and cost about $23. Bemis, 800/558-7651, www.bemismfg.com

All the Perks. Kohler's C3 200 toilet seat packs a heater, a deodorizer, two adjustable self-cleaning water nozzles for bidet-like cleansing, and a warm-air fan for drying. Lighted for nighttime use, it stores two different preferred settings and boasts a quiet-close feature and quick-release hinges. According to Kohler, it fits most elongated toilet bowls. Prices start at $1,300. Kohler Co., 800/456-4537, www.kohler.com

Supersized. Although the Big John toilet seat is designed for large people, its extra width and no-slip design make it ideal for anyone who needs to transfer from a wheelchair to the toilet, the company says. The 19-inch-wide seat is rated for 1,200 pounds and measures 51/2 inches between hinges to fit any standard toilet. It comes in cream and white and in open- and closed-front designs, and costs $158 and up. Big John, 866/366-0669, www.bigjohntoiletseat.com